Oman commends Macron decision to recognise Palestine in Sept
In a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry on Friday, Oman called on other countries that have not yet recognised the Palestinian state to do so, embodying the two-state solution and consolidating the legitimate right of the Palestinian people to establish their independent state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. 'This will advance the chances of achieving peace and justice in the Middle East,' it said.
Germany, France, UK press Israel on aid
London, UK – Leaders of Britain, France and Germany called on Israel to allow unrestricted humanitarian aid into Gaza on Friday, warning of a 'humanitarian catastrophe'.
The joint appeal comes after French President Emmanuel Macron pledged to recognise a Palestinian state and followed a call between him, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
In it, they demanded an immediate ceasefire and warned that 'withholding essential humanitarian assistance' is unacceptable – though the statement broke no new diplomatic ground.
The three leaders said they are ready to take further action to support both a ceasefire and a political process towards lasting security and peace in the region, but did not specify what steps they might take.
Macron's announcement has revealed divisions among the European trio – known as the E3 – over how to address the humanitarian crisis and bring the Israel-Hamas war to an end.
While all three countries support a Palestinian state in principle, Germany has said it has no immediate plans to follow France's lead. Macron intends to formalise the recognition at the UN General Assembly in September.
Britain also has not joined the move. On Friday, 221 members of the UK Parliament signed a letter urging recognition.
Trump dismisses France move
US President Donald Trump has dismissed Macron's decision to recognise a Palestinian state as pointless.
'What he says doesn't matter,' Trump told reporters at the White House. 'He's a very good guy, I like him, but that statement doesn't carry weight.' Trump told reporters.
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Thai-Cambodia border shelling continues despite Trump's ceasefire call
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a day ago
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Cambodian officials said that Thai soldiers had opened fire on Cambodian troops first, at Prasat Ta Muen Thom, a temple claimed by both nations. They said Cambodian forces returned fire some 15 minutes later. In Thailand, at least 13 civilians and seven soldiers have been killed. In Cambodia, there have been at least 13 deaths, including those of five soldiers. More than 131,000 people in Thailand have evacuated from areas along the border, while in Cambodia, 35,000 people have fled their homes. Who is working on a ceasefire? In a post on Truth Social on Saturday, Trump said he spoke by phone with Cambodia's leader, Hun Manet, and Thailand's acting prime minister, Phumtham Wechayachai. The president said that he told both leaders that it was inappropriate to 'get back to the 'Trading Table' with the United States 'until the fighting STOPS.' Thailand and Cambodia are both negotiating trade deals with the United States. 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In 2013, the court, the top judicial body of the United Nations, tried to clarify the 1962 decision. It said that Cambodia had sovereignty over the immediate area around that temple, but it left unresolved who controlled a larger disputed area. The two countries have had occasional military clashes and nationalist rivalries for hundreds of years. The border disputes can be traced to a 1907 map created during French colonial rule in Cambodia. The two countries interpret the map differently. Military fighting has broken out intermittently since 2008, but the last time that a major clash turned deadly was in 2011. Why was Thailand's prime minister suspended? In June, Paetongtarn spoke by phone to Hun Sen, Cambodia's de facto leader, to discuss the escalating border tensions. Hun Sen has had close ties to her father, Thaksin Shinawatra, a former prime minister of Thailand and the leader of a powerful political dynasty, as well as one of the country's richest men. Hun Sen posted a recording of their call, in which Paetongtarn seemed to disparage Thailand's powerful military and take a deferential tone. She called Hun Sen 'uncle' and told him that she would 'arrange' anything he wanted. In response, thousands of protesters took to the streets of Bangkok to express their outrage. Although Paetongtarn apologized, she has faced pressure to resign. In early July, a Thai court suspended her. This article originally appeared in
